Social Work program finds a new home in College of Health Sciences and Professions

Social Work has 11 faculty and staff members and approximately 100 students, and it offers both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in the discipline. The program will become a unit of CHSP’s Department of Social and Public Health, which houses similarly focused programs such as Community Health, Child and Family Studies and Health Services Administration. The department also includes the University’s Environmental Health, Industrial Hygiene and Long-Term Care Administration programs.

“It’s exciting to have Social Work join the College of Health Sciences and Professions,” said CHSP Dean Randy Leite. “This brings a new dimension to the college and creates a number of interesting opportunities for collaborations with our other programs.”

CHSP, which underwent an academic reorganization last year, also includes the programs Physical Therapy, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Nutrition, Athletic Training, Exercise Physiology and Nursing. With the addition of Social Work, the college will have about 2,800 students and 160 staff and faculty members.

“The mission of the social work profession focuses on working with those less fortunate,” said Warren Galbreath, interim chair of the Social Work program. “This move to CHSP creates an exciting and creative environment for social work students to learn the necessary skills to meet challenges of the profession.”

Social Work is housed in Morton Hall, while the offices of CHSP’s other programs are in Grover Center. Leite hopes to eventually make room for Social Work in Grover Center.